'JD-U Against Waqf Bill'

While it is expected that the JD-U, a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, will support the Waqf Bill, two JD-U MPs, Union Minister Lalan Singh and party Working President Sanjay Jha met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday.

Ahead of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 being tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, Janata Dal-United MLC Gulam Gaus on Tuesday said his party was against the Bill and will wait for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the JD-U president, to make a formal statement on the matter.

"Our party (JD-U) is not in favour of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and our leader Nitishji has not formally made any statement on the issue. We will wait before everything will be clear," Gaus told this correspondent.

"The JD-U and Nitishji are committed to secular politics and will take a final stand on the Waqf Bill in accordance with this background."

"I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Waqf Bill as the government had withdrawn the Farmers Bill," Gaus said.

"Can the Tirupati Balaji temple trust, the Patna-based Mahavir temple trust or any temple trust appoint me as a member? If not, why try to create trouble through the Waqf (Amendment) Bill?"

While it is expected that the JD-U, a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, will support the Waqf Bill, JD-U MPs Union Minister Lalan Singh and party Working President Sanjay Jha met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday.

Sources in the JD-U said they met Shah on Nitish Kumar's instructions. However, it is not known what transpired in the meeting.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com